Resident urges New Durham to restore modest health-agency funding and transparency

A resident told the New Durham Board of Selectmen she was denied placement of a budget-item request and urged the board to restore modest funding for local health and social-service providers while improving transparency in budget decision-making.

The commenter said she had sought to place a request about funding health services on the agenda but had been limited to a single public-comment slot. She described the town’s current budget entries for health agencies as placeholders (many set to $1) and proposed that the board consider obligating roughly $7,000 from prior fund totals to support organizations that serve vulnerable residents.

“I would request the board of selectmen to obligate former fund totals for this year,” the resident said, adding that the town had contributed about $62,938 since 2017 and that, by her calculation, those investments produced roughly $1,339,928 in services. “That’s a return I wouldn’t sneeze at,” she said.

Board members responded that the welfare and health lines will be reviewed during the operational-budget pass; they said a trust fund that previously subsidized some services has been exhausted and that the board will examine the welfare line and related operational expenses as it works through the budget. The chair said the board appreciated the information provided and will look more closely during budget deliberations so voters have clearer data when decisions are made.

The resident asked whether the board had written criteria for what qualifies as an agenda expenditure; the board indicated it would review the process and the operational budget lines during budget work sessions and provide more clarity to residents.

The board did not take immediate action on the request but said it would consider the matter as part of the broader budgeting process.